Asif also said that Pakistan will not be a part of any religious or sectarian alliance, referring to the former army chief Gen (retd) Raheel Sharif led 39-nation alliance of Muslim states under Saudi Arabia.

The defence minister said that Raheel Sharif has not yet applied for a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

“If a former army officer wants to leave the country after two years, then he can apply for an NOC,” he said, adding that when the former COAS will get the certificate, the House will be informed.

The defence minister said that Pakistan is trying to address the reservations of Iran, adding that the country has centuries-old relations with it.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Sudan, Malaysia, Egypt, Yemen and other Muslim countries are said to be part of the coalition. The Joint Command Centre, headquarters of the military alliance is located in Riyadh.

Pakistan on Monday sentenced an Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi, the ISPR said.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed death sentence awarded by the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA).

India threatens Pakistan of ‘consequences’

Indian minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj cautioned Pakistan of “consequences” if it proceeds with the death sentence of Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Swaraj, speaking in the parliament on Jadhav’s death sentence, said India would go to any extent to “save” Jadhav, who she termed a “son of India”.

“I would caution the Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter,” she said, as quoted by Indian media.